Julia Stiles is stepping into the Dancing With the Stars ballroom for the first time, but she has already been getting plenty of dance practice at home.
The actress is preparing for Dancing With the Stars Season 35, where she will compete alongside professional dancer Ezra Sosa. The new season begins with a two-night premiere on September 15 and 16, 2026, on ABC and Disney+.
For Stiles, however, the preparation has become a family affair.
Julia Stiles’ DWTS Journey Includes Her Three Children
Stiles has spoken about how her three children have become part of her preparation for the competition.
The actress shares her family with husband Preston Cook. Their children include Strummer, Arlo and a younger child whose details Stiles has largely kept private.
Rather than keeping rehearsals completely separate from family life, Stiles has been practising her moves around the house. Her children have watched her dance in the kitchen and living room as she gets ready for her new challenge.
That support could become especially valuable as the competition gets underway.
Stiles will have to learn ballroom and Latin dance techniques while also balancing the demands of a major television production. Her partnership with Sosa gives her a professional guide, but her family has become an important part of her preparation away from the studio.
Preston Cook Has Also Been Part of Her Support System
Stiles has been married to Preston Cook since 2017.
The couple met while working on the 2014 film Blackway. Cook worked behind the camera, while Stiles was part of the cast.
Their professional connection later continued when Cook worked on Riviera, the television series in which Stiles starred. The actress previously described the experience of having her husband nearby while working as a positive part of their relationship.
Now, Cook is supporting a very different kind of professional challenge as Stiles prepares to compete on DWTS.
The actress has described practising at home with her family around her, turning what could be a demanding rehearsal schedule into something the children can also enjoy.
Stiles Has Kept Her Family Life Relatively Private
Although Stiles has occasionally spoken about motherhood, she has generally been careful about how much of her children’s lives she shares publicly.
That approach became particularly important after she received criticism following a photo of her oldest child when he was a baby. Stiles later explained that comments about her son made her reconsider sharing pictures of her children online.
Since then, she has maintained stronger boundaries around her family.
That makes her decision to discuss their role in her Julia Stiles DWTS journey notable. Rather than putting her children in the spotlight, she has focused on explaining how motherhood and family support have influenced her work.
Motherhood Has Influenced Stiles’ Career
Stiles has previously talked about how becoming a mother changed the way she approached acting.
She has also connected motherhood with her work behind the camera.
In 2025, Stiles made her feature directorial debut with Wish You Were Here. She has explained that being a mother helped her develop skills that translated into directing, including planning ahead, managing time and responding to other people’s needs.
Those experiences may also help her on Dancing With the Stars.
The competition requires performers to learn choreography quickly, manage rehearsals and perform under pressure. For Stiles, those demands come alongside the responsibilities of raising three children.
Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa Are Preparing for DWTS Season 35
Stiles’ professional partner for Season 35 is Ezra Sosa.
The pairing was officially announced when ABC revealed the complete Season 35 cast and its professional partners. The lineup includes actors, athletes, reality personalities, entertainers and social media stars.
Stiles joins the competition after previously expressing interest in taking part in Dancing With the Stars. The opportunity now gives her a chance to put that interest into action.
Her biggest challenge will be adapting to the ballroom styles required by the show. Unlike simply dancing casually at home, the competition demands technical precision, choreography and performance skills.
Sosa will help guide her through that process.
When Does Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Start?
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 will premiere with a special two-night event.
The first episode is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, 2026, followed by the second episode on Wednesday, September 16. Both episodes are scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming on Hulu the following day.
After the two-night premiere, the show will continue on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
The Season 35 cast includes Julia Stiles, Jenna Dewan, Harry Shum Jr., Tatyana Ali, Giada De Laurentiis, Taylor Hanson, Tyler Cameron, Amber Glenn, Ezra Frech, Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller, Sarah Jane Nader, Jackson Olson, Guillermo Rodriguez, Conner Leavitt and Connor Wood.
A New Chapter for Julia Stiles
For Stiles, Dancing With the Stars represents another new professional challenge.
The actress has built a career across film and television, from 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance to the Bourne franchise and Dexter. More recently, she expanded her career by moving into directing.
Now, she is trading the director’s chair for the ballroom floor.
With Ezra Sosa as her partner and her husband and children cheering her on from home, Stiles appears ready to embrace the experience.
Her DWTS journey officially begins when Season 35 takes the stage on September 15.